5) About Time: The Unauthorised Guide to Doctor Who, 1985-1989
This is the last (so far) of the About Time series of guides to Doctor Who, covering not only all the Seventh Doctor series and all but the first of the Sixth Doctor stories, but also the 1999 TV movie, the misconceived 1993 Dimensions in Time piece, The Curse of Fatal Death and the two Peter Cushing movies. Tat Wood is the main credited author (Lawrence Miles being absent this time, but with “additional material” by Lars Pearson and a defence of The Two Doctors by Robert Shearman).
As in previous volumes, Wood’s sarcastic yet affectionate humour makes it a good read, even though it’s the period of the programme’s history I probably know least well. There are some brilliantly sardonic one-liners which I was regrettably unable to refrain from reading aloud to anyone who would listen. The explanatory essays are as good as ever. Slightly disappointed with the editing – there seem to be a lot more typoes than usual, and some other structural glitches as well. But any serious fan needs to get this.
I agree with all of this, except that i think Silurians deserves to be seen as well as it is (though the music is questionable), and Silver Nemesis and Battlefield are both underrated in my opinion as well.
The Peladon stories are much better than they are rated in this list, as is the Invasion of Time, whilst The Claws of Axos, Revenge of the Cybermen and The Seeds of Doom are all overrated. Then again my favourite classic Doctor is Sylvester McCoy, which isnt a very popular opinion, so i think maybe there’s something odd about me rather than the general consensus.